Many PlayStation 4 owners are still holding off on upgrading to the PlayStation 5

Social media has been buzzing this week with discussions about the continued usage of PS4 consoles by gamers. Sony revealed in its recent earnings call that it had shipped an impressive 59.3 million PS5 consoles. Nevertheless, the PSN boasts an impressive 118 million monthly active users, indicating that a significant portion of the player base is still engaged with the PS4. (A small percentage of the figures will also be taken up by PS3 and PS Vita.)

As is frequently observed on social media, this has resulted in a flood of overwhelmingly negative responses. It seems that the lack of exclusive games on the PS5 is deterring many gamers from making the transition. Despite this, a significant number of popular titles such as EA Sports FC, Fortnite, and Call of Duty Warzone can still be enjoyed on the previous generation console. It’s definitely a factor.

There has always been a consistent shift from one system to the next. For instance, the PS2 experienced a significant surge in sales following the launch of the PS3 and continued to receive support well into the lifespan of its successor. The demise of the PS3 was indeed swift, but it can be attributed to Sony’s eagerness to transition away from a device that posed significant development challenges and had an exceptionally long lifespan.

Earlier this week, Sony made headlines for PS5 reaching 59 million units sold. Good number!

Sony says PS5 is in the 2nd half of its lifecycle

Sony also said PlayStation has 118 million monthly active users–half still on PS4

Get that?

HALF of PS players aren't on current gen

— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) May 16, 2024

The platform holder has consistently emphasized its efforts to facilitate the transition from PS4 to PS5, but it may not prioritize these figures. One crucial aspect to consider is the ability of the console to retain gamers within its ecosystem. However, unless the price of the PS5’s hardware decreases, which is still considerably higher compared to the PS4 at a similar stage in its lifecycle, it is probable that many players will opt to stick with last-gen hardware.